It's Only Forever Underground
by guenevereandromeda
Summary: Sarah is going into junior year. But will last year's events haunt her for longer?....
1. Remembering

It's Only Forever Underground

Okay! This is my first laby fanfic, so be nice!! I have loved the Labyrinth my entire life, and seriously wish it were real…sigh.Don't get me wrong, it has nothing to do with David Bowie…though he would've actually been cute if he had lost the long hair…and maybe put on a larger pant size...ahem, yes, well, this is my story.I do not own any of the characters, though Mr. Hammill is named after a real guy…heehee.So, about this fanfic.Excuse me if you notice a few stereotypes in the school, but I couldn't help it.Please don't tell me who they are, I already know and have tried to keep their roles as small as possible so as not to offend anyone.But remember, though everyone says there isn't, they really do exist in real schools, so they do here as well.This is a J/S fic, {as if you couldn't tell,} and so without further ado, I present: JARETH--KING OF THE GOBLINS and also, our friend…SARAH WILLIAMS!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter One: Remembering~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Fear can turn to love, you'll learn to see to 

_Find the man behind the monster, this…_

_Repulsive carcass who burns in hell yet_

_Secretly, yearns for heaven…_

_Secretly…_

_Secretly…"_

From "The Phantom Of the Opera" 

Andrew Lloyd Webber

**S**arah Williams was going into her junior year.She was parked outside of Middleton High, and was silently wondering what to do next.Should she be late for her first class, like she was last year?_And continue my record for being the tardiest student this school has ever seen?_ She thought._No.I can't do that again.Not after all the detentions.Karen would freak._She thought of her stepmother, Karen, yelling at her for getting more detentions."What a way you start the school year!!" She heard her shouting.She giggled and thought about her little brother, Toby._He's not so bad now._She thought to herself._OF course, how can I tell? He hasn't reached the terrible twos yet!_A surge of excitement went through her again._Junior year!_She thought to herself._At last!!!_She sat in her car, thinking about all that had occurred to her in the past year._Not too much…_She said to herself.Sophomore year…the year her entire life was changed.The year she wished Toby away.The year she met Jareth.She quickly focused her mind on her courses._I can't spend all my time thinking about that._She scolded herself._I don't have time to focus on Goblins and things._But then she asked herself what it was she was really avoiding._Jareth?No, _She thought hesitantly._He certainly can't be what I'm avoiding…_A sudden ringing sound made her jump and hit her head on the car roof."Ow!"She shouted."Damn! I'm going to be late!!"She jumped out of the car and ran into the building.She didn't even see the large barn owl watch her running and dropping things on her way inside.Or how it seemed to recognize her as it flew around the other side of the building and perched outside of Mr. Hammill's chemistry lab.

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**"W**ell, well, well.I see our friend Miss Sarah hasn't changed one bit since last year.Your five minutes late, Sarah."Sarah stood in the doorway of her homeroom, staring at all of the students smirking at her."Sorry…" she said quietly while taking her seat in the second row."M-my car ran out of gas."Mr. Hammill simpered at her from his place behind the desk."I see…" He said simply.Sarah had the nagging feeling he didn't believe the story.Of course, she hadn't put on a very good face.Next time she would have to speak more confidently, be more sure of herself."Always convince your audience!"a kind voice said in her mind._Mom…_she thought sadly._ I wish you were here._Memories of standing on the well-worn stage in Middleton Theatre, standing in the spotlight while her mother coached her on how to act.How she missed those days.Her mother's kind words…getting up next to Sarah on the stage and showing her how to pose for the cameras… 

But those days were gone, and she shook herself back to the room in which she stood.The room that reeked of alcohol and sterile cleaning agents.The room that reminded her of a hospital.She shivered.She didn't want to think about that either.Suddenly she realized that someone was staring at her. She looked around wildly, but saw no one looking her way.Everyone was doing something.She could see Harriet, the class nerd, reading a book on: _"The Idiots Guide to Computers for the Genius"_ Sarah wanted to giggle, but decided she would get more stares if she did.She looked to her left, where Bill, the class jock made eyes at the girl sitting next to him.Sarah looked around like this for a while, until her gaze fell open the window.She jumped and nearly fell out of her seat.Outside the window was a barn owl, staring right at her._That's silly. _She told herself._Owls don't stare._But the more she stared at it, the more she felt it was looking right back at her.Then a sudden wave of familiarity came over her and she remembered things she had tried not to think about.

_"I hit something! Yes? No?"_

_"You have no power over me…"_

"The name's Hoggle…" 

_"It bit me!"_

_"Ludo…scared…"_

_"Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."_

The last voice ripped at her heart.How she had wanted to say yes…but to lose Toby for it?"No." she whispered aloud, staring at the owl.It blinked back at her.The silence was loud.The only sound was an occasional _pop_ of a bubble gum bubble and the turning of a magazine page.Just as she thought she would die from lack of sound, the sudden ringing sound of the bell of the school jolted her back to reality.Realizing she had planned to finish her homework during homeroom, she groaned and stepped out of her seat, glaring at the owl."I won't change my life because of what happened."She told the owl."I won't."With that, Sarah Williams strode confidently out of homeroom and into the hustling, bustling hallway within Middleton High.

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**T**he day dragged on.She tried not to be late for any more classes, but found herself day-dreaming all day.Not about…that place, of course, but about what she would do with her life, how she would act someday with a great acting troupe somewhere.The more she thought about acting, the more she thought about her mother, Linda.She thought about how, for her 13th birthday, her mother had given her a ring with a Sapphire on it…Sarah's birthstone.It was so beautiful…she then got a stony-faced look._But then I gave it away in the Labyrinth…to that stupid two-headed guy who didn't help me anyway._She wondered if it was still there…lost somewhere in the endless passages within the Labyrinth.She then realized she had a class to go to and rushed down the stairs to her the gymnasium, where her Drama class occurred.It was the only place she could be herself._Or, _she thought to herself while grinning a half-smile, _where I can be who I am not…but who I want to be. _She walked in the door a few minutes late, but this was the only class she had nothing to fear.For in this room were people whom she could count on, who she could laugh with and act with.Fellow actors and actresses.And the wonderful Mrs. Paige."AH!Here is our diva now!! How are you, my dear?"Mrs. Paige asked softly, as though afraid she would hurt Sarah's ears if she talked any louder."I'm fine, Mrs. Paige.How are you?" 

Mrs. Paige hurried to the middle of the room while answering: "Never better, dear, never better.And now!"She called to the classroom."Now I will announce the play for this year!"Everyone seemed to move to the edge of their seats, or stood with attention if standing."I received an anonymous phone-call a few weeks ago from a famous director somewhere in England…I never did learn his name.But anyway, he said that there was a play that has been released a long time ago, many years before any of you were born.He told me all about it, and after consulting my horoscope, the fates have declared it!" she shouted."This year's play shall be…The Labyrinth!" 

Sarah nearly fell down as the rest of the students clapped."The play should be interesting, seeing as how the parts are relatively simple, but the special effects are amazingly hard."Sarah still couldn't believe this was happening._The Labyrinth?_She questioned the air._Here?_But no one answered her as Mrs. Paige continued. "I think we already know who will be playing the lead role this year."She said, throwing a wink in Sarah's direction."However, I am distraught trying to figure out who will play the lead role for the boys."Sarah felt her throat tighten._No one can pull it off._She thought._None of these guys have the capabilities to pull off **that** role._Mrs. Paige sighed."We will hold the auditions anyway.Since we have a whole class period today, we will do them now.I will give you all playbooks tomorrow, but I have a sheet for the lines you must do right here.Alright.Who is trying out for the role of Jareth?"At least all of the boys hands went up.Who wouldn't want the lead role?"Oh dear.Well, we'll see how quickly we can do this.Adam, why don't you try first?"Sarah sniggered along with a few others.He was a tall, thin, lanky boy with red hair and glasses that constantly slid down his nose.He accepted the page of lines and began reciting them, while trying to decide on a pitch to do them on, and basically butchering the lines altogether.

Sarah stopped paying attention to him and stared out the window.There was the owl again._Why is it everywhere I go?_She asked silently._Why can't I get away from it?_She thought about this for a long time, until she realized she had been daydreaming and the last boy was already reciting his lines."Oh dear." Said Mrs. Paige."Just as I thought.None of you are suited for the part.We're going to have to bring in an adult actor…possibly more for other parts if necessary." She saw the worried look on various faces and added: "You all look like adults anyway," she said, "so it won't be too much of a problem."The boys groaned and gave Sarah a knowing glance, as though daring her to ask otherwise.Mrs. Paige looked at Sarah."Why don't we start off the parts for Cassandra?As the diva already, we know you will most likely get the part, but," she said with a knowing glance, "you never know what will come your way."Sarah sighed and stepped forward.As Mrs. Paige handed her the page, she pushed it back."My mother did this play.I know all of the lines.Any scene in particular you want me to do?"Mrs. Paige looked tickled."Ooo…if the late Mrs. Williams could do this play, we are sure to be a success!Why don't you do the ending for us!John, you recite Jareth's lines."John, a tall and burly brown-headed boy, stood up and grinned."Sure."He winked at Sarah and Sarah groaned._As if I like you back anyway._

She stepped forward and stretched, and prepared herself for her first line.Sa she said it, the room seemed to dissolve, and once again she was standing in the Escher room, surrounded by the weave of steps and doorways."Give me the child.Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the child whom you have stolen…for my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great…"But as Sarah went to say the next line, she found she could not.For the next line was what had sent Jareth away forever._But that's what I wanted? Wasn't it?_She asked herself cautiously._No, what I wanted was Toby back._Another voice seemed to come to her mind.Her mother's voice on stage, telling her to say the next line."Sarah, say the next line.Sarah? Sarah?" With a sudden jolt she realized her mother hadn't said it, Mrs. Paige had."Uh—oh.You have no power over me."With that, everyone in the room jumped as they heard a loud blast of thunder outside that shook the gym."Whoa." John said slowly. "Talk about special effects."But Sarah didn't hear.For Sarah had run out of the gym, crying. 

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__


	2. The Return or: Sarah, I'm hoooooome.

It's onllllllly forever...not long at all.

I would like to say hello to all my fanfic friends, and those people I have not met yet but will through my reviews.Special thanks goes to Meg…{a_g}, Ennis, and my cuzinz Caroline and Lisa Anne.Of course, I thank my parents and my other family…blahblahblah, and want to say hello to all LABYRINTH fans here.Enough with me talking your ears off…make that writing…so anyway, onward with the story!!!

"_Everywhere I see the signs, _

_point in one direction, _

_no more twisted, crooked turns,_

_leaving room for doubt._

_Where I used to take the time,_

_For quiet and reflection, _

_Now I only hear the noise,_

_Of what I am without."_

From "Outside Looking In"by Mary Chapin Carpenter 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 2: The Return~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**S**arah did not stop running until she heard the bell ring and realized she had a class to go to.Realizing she left her books in the gym, she went sheepishly back, only to see everyone had left._Why did I run out like that?_Sarah chided herself._What was I so afraid of?_Then she thought harder and remembered countless things…

"You give me the bracelet, and I'll show you the way out of the Labyrinth." 

_"Quite often, young woman, the way forward is sometimes the way back."_

_"We should reach the castle well before day."_

_"That's what you were looking for, wasn't it, my dear?"_

" This isn't an ordinary gift for a girl who takes care of a screaming baby…" 

Sarah sighed again at the voice._It was him._She thought to herself._He's the one who did all this to me.Changed my life._Again, her inner voice answered her._But was it such a bad change?Or did it change you for the better…"_

She didn't listen to the voice.If she changed now…she didn't want to think about the past."Change isn't a good thing."She told herself."I won't change if I don't have to."As she walked begrudgingly toward Mr. Hammill's chemistry class, she wondered if there would be a day she _would_ have to change.

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**"W**ell, the most amazing thing I can tell you about today's class is that Miss Williams was not late."A few scattered claps ensued from some students.Most just laughed.Chemistry class was over and Sarah was certainly glad.Chemistry was not her subject, though environmental science was.Luckily, she sat by the window, and could look out it if she got too bored._I can't wait to get home and rest._She thought to herself._Of course, _she added as an afterthought, _It's not like I have much to go home to._She found herself wishing for something to look forward to when she got home.Anything to make this day better than it was.She sighed and prepared herself for her next class as everyone left the room.As usual, she was last to leave, including over Mr. Hammill.Suddenly she heard a tapping noise on the window.She turned quickly, and saw the barn owl gazing at her.

"Why do you keep following me around?"She asked the owl impatiently through the open window."What do you want?"She seemed to answer herself."Well, it doesn't matter because, you know what," she said, gathering her books and walking toward the door, "I'm not changing my life, and I'm not thinking about…that—that—Labyrinth."She had said it."See? I can still talk about it without cringing." She said haughtily while walking out into the hallway.She couldn't help feeling bad that she'd just lied._I was cringing._Then she realized why she was feeling sorry and shrugged._Yeah, well, I shouldn't be too upset about lying to an owl!_She went to the next class, a minute late, and sat through it, waiting impatiently until the bell rang and she could go home.

When the bell finally rang and she ran to her locker to pack up her stuff, she realized that she had something in her jacket pocket next to her keys.She reached in and pulled out the thing she thought she'd never see again." My _ring_…"She said softly.There it was, in perfect condition.She began to wonder if she had ever lost it, but then told herself that it was too real… She walked toward the car with wonder, as the barn owl flew toward her house, where another surprise awaited her.

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**"A **kitten?!!!!"Sarah shrieked with excitement."You bought me a kitten?!!"Robert Williams laughed."Yes, Sarah.We've seen your responsibility lately and decided to repay you for all the times we've dumped Toby on you."Sarah couldn't believe what she was hearing._A kitty?For me?_She smiled at the small, furry white ball that softly mewed at her from the floor.She picked it up and looked at it."Dad! She's gorgeous!! Thank you so much!!"Robert laughed."Thank Karen.She came up with the idea."Sarah looked sharply at the blonde-headed woman smiling at her._Karen gave me a gift?What's wrong with her?_"Thank you so much Karen!"She said, smiling, but not really knowing why."You're welcome, dear.What are you going to name her?"Sarah looked down at the kitten purring in her arms.She wanted to name it Linda, but was afraid she would make her father upset if she did."Alpha."She said, looking up at them."It means beginning in Greek."Her father looked at Karen approvingly."You hear that? She knows Greek."Sarah smiled."I read it in a book of Greek legends."Karen rolled her eyes."Just when I thought you were taking time and reading something educational."Sarah just smiled.

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As she sat in her room studying the worn playbook for "The Labyrinth", she wondered if she would be able to do it without messing up again. _I mean, I almost didn't do it today._ She sighed._What if I start…I don't know…screaming on stage or something?My acting career would be finished!!_She sighed again and looked out her window. "And there's that darn owl again!!" she said aloud.Alpha, who had been asleep at the foot of the bed, lifted up her small head and meowed pitifully."I'm sorry, Alpha." Sarah said while stroking the cat's fur."I just couldn't help getting upset.That owl is everywhere I go, and I don't know what Jar-uh…he wants." She had almost said his name._Besides…_ she told herself._I don't know it's him…but what other owl would be following me around like that?!!!_ She sighed. Whatever it was, she didn't want to think about it.

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**T**he next day at school, as she wandered down the hall towards drama class, someone tapped her on the shoulder.She jumped, nearly dropping all her books._Who would want to talk to me?_She turned and saw John from the class grinning at her."Oh hi." Sarah said in the cheeriest voice she could muster."What's up?"John grinned."Guess what I found out?" Sarah's grin faded a bit."What?" "Mrs. Paige found the guy to play Jareth in the play." Sarah went white."Who is he?" John laughed."That's the cool thing about it…we don't know yet.But I'll tell you, he sure is-"But before he could say what he was, the bell rang and they both ran for the gymnasium.

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**"N**ow, now, class, settle down."Everyone had been whispering to one another excitedly, everyone, that is, except Sarah and John who rushed through the door, panting."JOHN! You're late! Oh, hello, Sarah, take a seat."Sarah wanted to laugh at how badly she had just treated John compared to her, but stopped when she noticed someone in the corner of a room, taking something from a bag.He had short, light-blonde hair and was tall._Wait……he looks familiar……_Sarah thought to herself as she sat down, the man still with his back to them as he searched for something in the black bag on the bleachers in front of him."Class, as I had been saying, I would like to introduce you to the man who will be playing the part of Jareth.I now present to you……Jeremiah Smith." The man turned and Sarah gasped and fell off of her chair.The class looked at her, as did the man at the front of the room."Why, Sarah, are you alright?"he asked in a familiar British accent."You!" Sarah cried as she stood up and stared at him. For the man in front of her was not Jeremiah Smith, but the Goblin King Himself.The man was Jareth. 


	3. Memory

For my will is as strong as yours.....

Okay, here is the third chapter.I won't put a long introduction for two reasons: 1, you probably will never read this and are skimming past to get to the good part.2, even if you are reading this, you are cursing the long wait because the last chapter left you hanging.So, I won't bore you.Here is Chapter 3:

"The best friend I have ever had is someone who gives me a book 

_I have never read."_

_Abraham Lincoln._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 3: Memory~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**M**rs. Paige and the rest of the class were staring intently at Sarah with looks of almost horror on their faces.Jareth-er-Jeremiah, however, looked amused."Sarah, you know this man?"Jeremiah, sensing he was about to get into trouble, spoke first."Yes, she does.I was in a play of her mother's once.She saw me there."Mrs. Paige looked happy."Ooo…another person who's worked with the wonderful Linda Williams.This play is going to be wonderful! Why, I imagine-" Sarah interrupted her happy speech."But he's the goblin king!!" She said in shock."Of course he is."Mrs. Paige said, a little upset she didn't get to continue speaking."Uh…" Sarah said stupidly, searching for words."He is going to be playing Jareth in the play."Mrs. Paige finished."Um…" Sarah said again, not finding anything to say.Though everyone was looking at Sarah, Sarah was looking at Jeremiah, who was slowly and inconspicuously raising a finger to his lips, motioning to her to be silent."That's…great!"Sarah said carefully, and the room seemed to let out a mutual sigh of relief.Jeremiah looked pleased, but all Sarah could do was mope.

"Why don't you practice together while I figure out who will play the other characters, hmm?"Mrs. Paige turned away and motioned to the rest of the class to follow her to another corner of the gym, where she began to line them up for auditions."Hello Sarah.You're taller this year.But just as beautiful." Jareth said, beaming at her."H-hi."Sarah was disappointed that was all she could say.This wasn't how she had wanted their first meeting to go at all."How did you want it to happen?"Jeremiah said suddenly, making Sarah jump."D-did you just read my mind?"She said while gaping at him."No, but I know a lot of things just by looking at people." He said simply."Well why have you been following me around?"That hadn't been what Sarah had wanted to say either.This meeting wasn't going well at all."I wanted to get your attention.You were ignoring me, so naturally I kept following you until I did."Sarah wondered if this was the true answer, but didn't make another stupid comment she would regret.

"So what did you want?"She asked impatiently."Sarah, we should be practicing for the play."Sarah inwardly groaned._Why does he always avoid my questions when they most need to be answered?!!_"If you won't tell me that, then can you tell me where the ring came from?"Jeremiah laughed. "The Labyrinth."Sarah tsked aloud."_Not_ that.You know what I mean."Jeremiah got a sudden look on his face as though he was about to burst out laughing, but refrained."I put it in your locker."Sarah rolled her eyes."Wait…how did you get the combination?" Before he could answer, she stopped herself.  
"Wait-don't answer that.I already know.You know many things.So, let's practice and get this over with."

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**"Y**ou're no match for me, Cassandra.""I need my brother back…please.""He's there…in my castle."Jeremiah gestured into a corner of the room."Do you still want to look for him?""Is that the castle beyond the goblin city?"Sarah looked that way as though it were really there, remembering the night it was."Turn back, Cassandra.Turn back before it's too late.""I can't. Don't you see that I can't?"Suddenly a bunch of applause made them both jump.Apparently the class had been watching them practice.They were still clapping."That was amazing!" Mrs. Paige said, hands still clapping."I've never seen anything so…wonderful.Sarah, you made it seem like you were really there, standing on the hill above the Labyrinth!"Sarah looked at Jeremiah and gave him a small smile."Well, working with an old friend helps too."Jeremiah looked surprised, but smiled back at her.

"Where will you be staying, Mr. Smith?"Mrs. Paige asked slowly."Call me Jeremiah, please.I will be staying at Sarah's house, actually.The William's household has been kind enough to offer me a room at their house."He put an arm around Sarah's shoulder, and she shivered.He seemed to notice and raised an eyebrow questiongly at her.Mrs. Paige smiled."Oh! That's nice.I know where to reach you, then.Tell your family the whole class appreciates your family's hospitality, Sarah."Sarah grinned back, but as soon as Mrs. Paige turned to address the class, she shook Jeremiah's arm off and glared at him."_What _do you think you're doing?!!" she whispered furiously to him."We never _invited_ you!! My family is going to have a fit!! And where do you think you're going to stay? Since Toby was born, we don't have a spare bedroom!!"Jeremiah smiled calmly at her."It has already been arranged.And you have been kind enough to give me your room, while you sleep on the sofa downstairs."Sarah felt like stamping a foot and having a temper tantrum like she used to when she was little.Instead, she merely hissed at him."_Nothing _is fair with you around!!" "It could've been worse." He said while grinning even more."If I had been in a better mood, you might've had to _share_ the room with me."Sarah groaned aloud and walked past him as the bell rang.

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**S**arah went home and parked the car, so exhausted from her Chemistry class, she almost forgot who would be at her house when she got there.Almost."Sarah! You're home!" said Karen from the doorway."Yes, I'm home." She said, walking past her into the house.She walked upstairs to her room, Karen coming to the bottom of the steps."Uh…dear…" Sarah waved a hand in the air as a sign she didn't want to be interrupted.She walked down the hallway…and opened her bedroom door.She screamed shortly, and then recovered.For her room had completely changed.The décor's theme seemed to be black silk, and all of her things were gone.There, sitting calmly on her bed, stroking Alpha's fur was Jeremiah."W-wha?"She couldn't seem to ask anything."Don't worry."Jeremiah said calmly."It's all in here." He lifted up a crystal and within Sarah could see her old room.Sarah gasped."But…what if I need something out of there?Wait…hold on…" she ran into the hallway."Karen!" she called nervously down the steps."Yes, Sarah?""Umm…there's a guy in my room!""Oh, yes dear, did we forget to tell you? Jeremiah from your mother's theatre called.He needed somewhere to stay and naturally your father and I agreed.He's such a nice man, isn't he?"Sarah gaped at Karen while someone stepped behind her."Hello, Mrs. Williams.""Oh, hello Jeremiah."

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**I**f Sarah thought that first day was bad, she had no idea what was in store for her.She often came home to find Jeremiah playing with Toby…to which she would snatch Toby up and carry him elsewhere.However, Toby would start to cry and reach for Jeremiah, while Jeremiah grinned at Sarah as though daring her to try and do it again.It was common to find a goblin somewhere in the house…in the kitchen, searching through the fridge, in the bathroom, messing with the medicine cabinet…they were everywhere.However, Sarah's parents didn't seem to notice, even if a goblin was sitting on Robert's morning paper.Sleeping on the sofa was not very pleasant, because it was old and lumpy and springs seemed to always stick into her back as she slept.Sarah didn't see much of her cat, because it spent most of it's time weaving between Jeremiah's ankles, mewing for attention, which Jeremiah was only too happy to give.The worst thing, however, was Sarah having all of her things inside a crystal ball.Jeremiah made her ask specifically for what she wanted, and though Sarah assumed at first it was so a whole dresser wouldn't come crashing to the floor, she began to decide he was merely trying to embarrass her.IT was quite hard for her to look him straight in the face and not laugh or cry while trying to ask for her underwear.He didn't seem to care at all, but various goblins would pop up out of a drawer or from under the bed and start laughing until Sarah gave them a hard stare and they ducked back into the Underground.

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**S**chool was not any easier.The subjects seemed to wrack her brain and the SAT was positively frightening.Sarah found herself wishing the year would end, but began to wonder if she really wanted it to when play practice started.John, as it turns out, had to play the part of Hoggle, which made him seem even sillier than he already was.Adam got to play the part of Ludo, which was good seeing as how he only had a few lines to say anyway.Everyone seemed to get a part fitted to them.But the hardest part of all was the part Sarah had to play.She found herself slipping into saying things that weren't in the script, and worst of all, being perfectly horrified after she had said them.Jeremiah, Sarah was pleased to see, also had a hard time with his part.For he, too, kept calling Sarah by her real name during the practices, or the child in the play Toby.Every time he did so, however, he flashed a grin in Sarah's direction before saying the next line.Despite the fact, he was tearing apart her life, Sarah found herself making friends with Jeremiah, and couldn't wait until the day would end and she could talk to him freely.She didn't understand why, but eventually, every time Jeremiah looked her way, she began to blush furiously.Jeremiah, of course, would only grin in return.

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**O**ne particularly long night, when Sarah was extremely tired, she came home to find that her parents were not there."Uh…anyone home?"she called into the dark house.She walked to the steps and looked up to see the hallway light on."No one home but us Goblin Kings." Came a voice from upstairs.She sighed and went to her room."So…you're plural now?"She asked while staring into the room.Again, Jeremiah was playing with Toby."No…just being strange, as usual." Sarah came in and sat down next to him, staring at Toby.Toby had a pair of sunglasses on and was giggling."Um…what's with the sunglasses?"Jeremiah laughed."I don't know.Got bored, I guess."Sarah took the glasses off of Toby's face and stared at his cute face as he grinned at her."Your parent's went out.I offered to watch Toby for them until you got home.Not that I mind."He said, staring at the little boy grinning at them both.Sarah sighed.She had been staring intently at Toby, but realized Jeremiah was staring at her."What?"She asked, turning to look at him.Their faces were inches apart.It brought back memories of the masquerade she had been in the bubble Jareth had made…when they almost had kissed then…

_"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes, _

_A kind of pale jewel,_

_Opened and closed within your eyes…"_

"I'll place the sky…within your eyes."She realized that she had not been hearing the voice singing in her mind, but in the room.She then realized she was standing up and dancing with Jeremiah as Toby looked on and giggled."There's such a fooled heart, beating so fast, in search of new dreams, a love that will last within your heart…I'll place the moon, within your heart."Suddenly she backed away from the embrace."I-I'm sorry." She said and ran downstairs.She ran outside and ran into the park where she had first started the play.The moon was covered by a dark and menacing cloud, and she ran towards the stone bench Merlin had once sat on._That was before he died._She thought bitterly, wishing the dog hadn't been so old the year before.She sat down and began to cry.She then realized her ring had come off her finger._The ring… _she thought sadly to herself.Memories, memories she had never wanted to think of again, suddenly flooded through her mind and tore her in two.

_The car ride,_

_The music from the Labyrinth playing on the radio._

_Her mother singing along with the man playing Jareth,_

_Grinning at her daughter in the passenger seat._

_"It's your thirteenth birthday!"_

_Sarah grinned at her mother._

_"So what do I get?"_

_Her mother smiled and handed her a small box._

_"Here's the first gift."_

_Sarah ripped off the paper and opened it._

_"It's a ring!!" cried Sarah._

_"Yes.I got it from your father a long time ago._

_I was going to save it until you got married._

_I would've given it to your husband to be, but he isn't here yet, so_

_There it is."_

_Sarah smiled at her mother._

_Her mother took her eyes off the road to smile back._

_As Sarah and he mother turned back, they screamed._

_A truck was in the wrong lane, avoiding a car that was going too slowly._

_It came towards them and all Sarah could hear was _

_The blaring horns,_

_The sudden crunching sound as the car was hit head-on,_

_And the scream of her mother suddenly cut off._

_Then darkness…and the sterile inside of the hospital._

_…"We're sorry, Sarah." The doctor said carefully._

_"Your mother flew on top of you when the truck hit the car to save your life, but…_

_I'm afraid your mother died in the accident."_

_"NO!!" Sarah had screamed._

"NO!!!!!" Sarah cried into the night, amid the loud rumbling of thunder as rain began to fall."No." she moaned."It was all my fault.All my fault!" she sobbed.A hand suddenly wrapped around her shoulder to comfort her, and Sarah cried into Jeremiah's shoulder as it began to pour.

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	4. Doctor's Orders

and my kingdom as great!

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE CONTINUING!: Author's Notes: So you readers aren't confused, the reason Sarah ran away from dancing with Jeremiah was because the song he was singing was the song playing on the radio when her mother died.Sorry I didn't specify before.Also, when I call Jareth: Jeremiah, or Mr. Smith, we are in the real world, and he, well, looks normal.However, when we are in the Underground, we call him Jareth.Read on and if I still haven't answered any questions you want answered by the time this fic is over, put it in your review, and I will answer it during the Author's notes.Don't worry though…this story is nowhere near over yet.Nowhere near it.

"Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…" 

From Mary Poppins…don't ask why. Read on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 4: Doctor's Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**A **sudden bright light in her face made Sarah wake up from a fitful sleep."Where…" she began.She was surprised at her own voice.It was hoarse and weak.She then realized she was not in the park, nor was she at home.She sat up and found herself in a bed in a room themed completely in red and white with black accents."Well you've finally woken up.Feeling any better?"Jareth said calmly from the window.He was twirling 3 crystal balls in his hand and smiling at her.Despite his smile, however, he looked exhausted, as if he had been up all night."You look terrible." Sarah said.Jareth laughed softly."You're looking about the same."Sarah didn't see any mirrors, but did notice she was still dressed in the clothes she had on the night before, but they were not soaking wet, but dry.She looked at Jareth."A little spell on my part.Frankly, I don't like getting wet.I don't know about you, though."Sarah laughed.

"Where am I?" It was the first question on her mind."Underground." Jareth said simply, making the crystals disappear with a small _~pop~_."Why am I Underground?"Sarah asked slowly."You need to rest, Sarah." Jareth came over and sat on the edge of the bed, a worried look on his face.A look Sarah had never seen on him before."You have been running around for the past four years, trying to do something that is, in fact, impossible.Even here.""And that is?"Sarah asked impatiently."Change the past.You cannot undo what has been done, Sarah, and avoiding the past altogether is killing you.This is how weak it's made you."Sarah frowned."I'm not weak!!" She sat up but when she went to get out of bed, she couldn't."Ow…alright, so I was wrong.Am I this weak back home, too?"Jareth nodded slowly."On the inside.You have such a strong will…it's no wonder you've been able to stay on your feet this long.But you're lucky I came when I did.You could've been seriously hurt."_You have such a strong will._The words stuck in Sarah's head.

"For my will is as strong as yours…" 

"I don't want to think about it." Sarah said suddenly.It was true--she was avoiding the past.Why she was doing it, she didn't know.A searing pain shot through her head, and she lay back down."Ow…owowow…""See? You are hurting yourself."Jareth said with a smug expression on his face."You should get some sleep.Your mother would've wanted you to rest.She wouldn't want you to be running away from what happened.She just wants you to accept it, Sarah.""What do YOU know about my mother?!!" Sarah snapped at Jareth.As soon as she'd said it, she regretted it."Oh…Jareth…I'm sorry.I didn't mean it."But the look of hurt on his face didn't go away and Sarah wondered why she had never seen this side of him before.Jareth sighed."It was expected.I didn't tell you I know your mother."

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**"Y**OU WHAT?!!!"Sarah exploded.Her voice, however, was still hoarse and cracked."Why didn't you tell me?"She said."You wouldn't have believed me then."Jareth said."YES I WOULD!!" Sarah retorted.Then she thought about how she was last year, and how she had changed since then.She realized maybe she wouldn't have believed him."Well, I guess I wouldn't have then, but tell me now!"She said with all the hopefulness of a child waiting to hear a bedtime story."Some other day.For now, you need to sleep.You need it."Sarah gaped at him."You expect me to go to sleep after I find out you've met my mother before?!!"Jareth grinned."Yes." 

Sarah pondered it for a moment.She would certainly like to be away from all of her responsibilities for a while…her responsibilities… She sat up quickly, only to fall back down."Toby!Who's going to watch Toby?And what if Karen and Dad come home and don't see us there?They're going to think we ran off or something…or worse, that you kidnapped me."Jareth smiled."Don't worry about that.I froze time.We will get back at the same time we left…not in the pouring rain though.I took liberty and brought us back to your house, so we could dry off."Sarah gaped at him."How did you do that?"Jareth gave her a childlike grin."Magic."

"Still…I still want to be at home.""Why?""Well…" Sarah looked guiltily at him."I want my cat."Jareth smiled and produced a crystal out of thin air and threw it onto the bed.But when it hit the covers, Sarah felt something soft hit it, not hard glass.A muffled, pitiful mew came from inside the deep folds of the bed."Alpha!" Sarah cried while scooping the cat out of her feathery prison."Are you okay?"Sarah grinned at Jareth."I love it when you do that.""_Now_ will you go to sleep?"Sarah sighed."Fine.Goodnight."Alpha settled down in a small, furry ball by Sarah's head.She lay back down in the covers as Jareth turned the lights out and stepped out of the room."Oh," he said absentmindedly.He walked back over to where Sarah was, and kissed her lightly on the forehead."Sweet dreams."He strutted happily out of the room, Sarah still gaping at him as he shut the door behind him.

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**S**arah wasn't sure how long she slept.She would wake up in-between long periods of blissful sleep to see either a goblin or Jareth by the window, staring at her.She didn't feel the need to sleep or drink, or do anything for that matter, except sleep.But the sleep was good, and every time she woke up she felt a bit stronger than she had before.It was, unfortunately, a dreamless sleep, so Sarah had no idea what her brain was doing while she was asleep.Soon she thought she would die of boredom when she heard voices in the hallway._They sound familiar…_ Sarah thought to herself.Jareth entered the room and looked her in the face."Ah, you're awake.Excellent.Come on in, if you must, but don't keep her up too long or I _will _throw you in the Bog of Eternal Stench."

Four familiar faces peeked around the door as Hoggle groaned."We know, we know.""Makes no difference to me, your highness."Said Sir Didymus, walking in."Sarah." Ludo said."HOGGLE! Ludo! Sir Didymus!Hi Ambrosious."The four of them came up to the edge of the bed and grinned at her collectively."Hello, my lady.How art thou?" Hoggle patted his hand on the bedspread."Hope you're feeling better. Sarah." Ambrosious, seeing this as an invitation to jump up on the bed, did so.Alpha, who had been staring curiously at the visitors, now hissed. "NO! Ambrosious! NO!" Sir Didymus scolded.The dog whined and jumped back down as Alpha stopped hissing at him."Sorry, my lady." "Ludo, feel bad.Sarah okay?" Ludo asked gently."Yes, Ludo, I'm feeling much better.Maybe only one more day of sleep and I'll be fine."

"That's good." Jareth said, appearing in the doorway again."Oh.But we just got here, your highness!" Hoggle said."Well, you can talk to her after she's better." Ludo frowned."Sarah, feel better soon." "Thank you, Ludo.I will." Ludo walked past Jared, looking forlorn, and proceeded out the door into the hallway."Well, m'lady, I hope you will fare better.It gets quite boring around here without you." He took a gracious bow and got on Ambrosious to leave. Hoggle looked at Sarah with a smile."Remember, should you need us," "Yes, should you need us, for any reason at all…" Sir Didymus finished."She'll call." Jareth finished.Hoggle glared at Jareth for speaking for him, but walked back out with a smile.Sir Didymus was last, leaving Jareth and Sarah alone."Well, do get better soon.Everyone is waiting until you do." Jareth said coyly.Sarah smiled."I think I will." They both smiled at one another, and Jareth left again while Sarah fell asleep.

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**T**he next day, when Sarah woke up, she felt extremely hungry.She sat up and got out of bed before she even realized what she was doing."Hey…I got up." She looked around and stretched along with Alpha."I got up!!" She ran to the door and opened it.A really long hallway was in front of her, with tons of doors in every direction.Not sure where to go, she instead shouted: "I FEEL BETTER NOW!!!" She heard a shout downstairs echoing her cry, and a few more.Suddenly there was a scuffling noise, and a bunch of goblins ran through a door, panting and tumbling over one another.They skidded past her and tumbled into her room as Alpha came out to see what all the noise was.The door slammed shut behind the goblins, trapping them inside and narrowly missing Alpha's tail.Sarah picked up the cat and watched a small crystal bounce up the steps in the doorway and go back down."This way, Alpha." She followed the crystal downstairs and smiled as it landed in front of Jareth."Hello, Sarah.Your hair is messed up."Sarah realized there was a mirror in the corner of the room.She walked up to it and saw that her hair was positively messy, but her face was shining and not quite as pale as it had been before.She looked ten times better, and Jareth didn't look like he had been awake all night.

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End file.
